


Zero Dawn | The Seventh City

by indigo_bloodrayne



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Cyberpunk, Dark, F/M, Future, One Shot, Protectiveness, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:21:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24251248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indigo_bloodrayne/pseuds/indigo_bloodrayne
Summary: Westopolis. That was what it was once called. Several years into the corruption, now they didn’t know.
Relationships: Rouge the Bat & Shadow the Hedgehog, Rouge the Bat/Shadow the Hedgehog
Kudos: 17





	Zero Dawn | The Seventh City

**Author's Note:**

> Story written for the 2020 Shadouge Fanfic Contest. Definitely recommend listening to 'I Am The Night' by Perturbator for ambience. I've never written for this genre before, so I hope it's alright!

“Watch it, Shadow!”

Landing a hit, sparks flew like explosive fireworks, followed by harsh hissing sounds that sent shivers up her spine. Some kind of searing hot steam burst from between its robotic limbs and threaded wires as it prepared another strike. Every little sound echoed in the suffocating room. Down here the musty scents were strong, stagnant, a mingle of mildew and smoke.

Drawing back its extended arm, the collision of metal and thin glass produced a crashing sound as the purring, dim lights above shattered and cast the room into pitch blackness. But she’d already caught the flash of something sharp glint in the light, the ominous image imprinted in her mind. With every hammer of her heartbeat, her vision became obscured. Fallen shards littered the hard ground and she wished she could use her bombs and be done with it. The bat barely distinguished the silhouette outlines of industrial piping aligned along the wall and escaping through the ceiling, the large machine engines lined in a row and the blurred rapid movement in front of her. Before she could act, something indiscernible hurled towards her form like a shot.

She jolted. “Woah! I don’t think so, buddy!” 

In that same moment she glided out of dodge, something slammed into the robot’s side with an unmatched force, knocking it back into the wall behind. A dull monotone rang in her ears at the impact. The source of it caught his feet with a silent snarl and moved so maniacally quick as he charged their target over and over again in a homing attack. Before long the robot caved in on itself and collapsed in a burst of flames, a large gaping hole in its middle. 

Collecting herself, she adjusted her earpiece and checked for damage on the gadgets secured around her wrists.

“Nicely handled, Ultimate Lifeform. Never doubted ya for a minute.” Rouge’s sultry voice like dripping caramel filled the silence, hand on her curved hip.

The smooth cadence to her teasing was oddly calming. He rose to stand with a fierce scowl fixated on the charred remains of the former high-functioning robot, now lying like discarded scrap upon the concrete.

“Are you okay, Shadow?” Her brow creased as concern passed her lips. “You’re not hurt are you?”

He grunted and appeared as nonchalant as ever, replying with a nod of affirmation. “I’m fine.” 

“What happened here?” Rouge took measured steps closer, inspecting with cautious interest. “Big guy just went out of control.”

“Hmph. I can’t see this as a simple malfunction. Somebody knows we’re here.”

“You think? It’s possible. If they do, then they’ll probably expect us to continue going underground. Maybe they’ve even planted traps for us further down. Think we should head back to the surface?”

Shadow visibly tensed and folded his arms. “That could be another trap.”

“But we’ll have more eyes up there. It’ll give us more scope and escape routes. We’ve made it this far, Shadow.” Rouge’s eyes grew forlorn and focused on the floor. “It’s times like these I miss Omega... I hope he’s okay.”

Peering from the corner of his eye, the hedgehog noticed the position of her ears and the way she cradled her arms close to her chest. His expression hardened as he debated on the words to say. There was no clue as to what had become of Omega, and the festering worry had been gruelling for his bat companion. He was rather perceptive and attuned with her internal distress, recognising the sagged crescents forming under her lids and the way she held herself these days. Their esteemed robot friend had to be alive, and Shadow wanted that optimism, that fighting spirit to remain within her. Through day and dusk, he would make sure of it.

A sparkle to her aquamarine gems returned as she caught on to his stare, and giggled. Whether it was a veneer of composure or not, the sound eased an uncomfortable heaviness weighing on his chest.

“I’m okay, silly. Just thinking out loud. I’m sure he’s bound to turn up somewhere. That hunk of metal can’t stand to be away from a fight. Much like you.”

“Yeah...” Shadow turned to examine the heap that attacked them, his face twisting at the thought of discovering the advanced robot that defied his creator this way. He shook it aside.

There it was again, wrenching in his gut. A sour taste in his mouth. Something he hadn’t experienced for a lifetime. An underlying fear of loss. Ever since they encountered a mechanical creature with many appendages and amalgamation of parts, where Rouge saved him but wounded herself badly in the process, it had been a trigger. An image that haunted him. Shadow had been adamant and agitated on barely letting her out of his peripheral vision. It had been a grim reminder of her mortality. How fragile it really was, unlike his own. He couldn’t lose Rouge too. Therefore it had taken much persuasion and bone-breaking to carry out this plan of infiltration.

“I’m glad I have you around, Shadow. Let’s keep things that way.” The flutter in her voice was subtle enough that he almost missed it as she approached and patted his shoulder affectionately, passing a wink. “Sonic and the others are already providing cover. Can’t let them hoard all the fun. It’s time we set _our_ part in all this, in motion.”

Shadow barely nodded, snapped from his introspection. “Right.” His attention was drawn once again to the clad of black Rouge had chosen for this operation. It suited her.

“And you don’t get to go overboard.” 

He arched a brow, unamused. “I don’t go overboard - ”

“Ha! Is that so? Well, you certainly got your ways!” She inferred, a sly smirk tempting on her rose lips as he walked away with a huff. “Oh, come on. Don’t be such a grouch.”

Recruited for their help under stringent conditions, only they were capable of putting an end to what was happening outside. 

* * *

  
Heedful of potential danger, eventually the two weaved out of the engine room and entered back into the long grey tunnels that seemed to carry on for miles. The underground system was an intricate labyrinth. A perfect retreat if they had been pursued. 

Guided by their holographic map, Shadow and Rouge reached an exit in the form of an iron ladder leading to the world above. They ascended and quietly covered the manhole before pivoting around to take in their surroundings.

Vibrant, fluorescent lights glare and pulse like a steady heartbeat. The new metropolis custom constructed and stripped of its roots, had ubiquitous towers standing close clustered around them, touching the sky. Everything was loud, chaotic and overwhelming to the retinas when night overcast the city. Yet, it was beautiful. It reminded Rouge of the shimmering jewels that she so craved. Melded hues of flickering signs and street lamps reflected in connecting pools of water that spilled between the cracks of the cement. A light fog of fumes filled the air. Heavyweight power cables and wiring hung overhead. Streets once occupied with thick crowds of people and vendors frantically going about their businesses, now eerily deserted. A new order had been etched into the sidewalks and tagged upon the walls. The persistently familiar branding of Dr. Eggman, a grinning grotesque symbol of his empire. It was everywhere.

 _Westopolis._ That was what this place was once called.

The clicking of her polished and pristine boots against the grime, bounced off the solid buildings. Having spent so long in a confined, gloomy space below, Rouge felt as though her eyes would retreat in their sockets as she adjusted to the burning brightness of neon once more. 

“The Doctor’s obnoxious as ever.” She muttered under a breath.

Shadow simply tutted beside her, his own blurred vision finally correcting itself.

Heading in deeper, a purple lumination from a nearby sign accentuated their features as an enormous floating object emerged from the distance. Rouge sighed deeply. The scene evoked memories of Eggman's creations in the past. They proved far from intimidating, despite how destructive things could have turned out. They always took care of them without a hitch. But now, the dome-shaped ship engulfed in darkness, rigged with a mass of electrical wiring that expanded in multiple directions like that of a giant spider web spread throughout the city. Its presence an omen of impending doom, looking as though it drained the life from everything it touched around it. 

Chancing a look at her partner, something flared in Shadow’s crimson eyes at the sight. _What was he thinking about?_ The swell of sadness made for an urge to reach out and lace their fingers together, the smallest comfort. Despite it eating at her insides.. she refrained.

“Come on. Not much further.” Rouge jerked her head, beckoning him to follow. 

As they scoured the place, _“Sunshine”_ over here carried his signature frown as his eyes darted around, keeping close to her side. Quiet. Cautious. Ready. The pair then veered into the next street..

“Wait.” 

“Huh?” The bat stopped dead in her tracks at his stiff tone, until her arm was suddenly seized as Shadow pulled her back urgently into a narrow alleyway!

Loud, booming stomps and whirring machinery converged on their position and caused slight tremors beneath their feet. 

Patrollers.

These robots scattered and surveyed the sectioned off areas, especially at night. Shadow and Rouge sunk lower to the ground as the clang of footsteps and sound of grinding gears drew nearer. Eyes were glued to the open as the robot came sharply into focus. It was tall, _several_ metres high and bulky. Curved limbs that stretched down to three stumps swayed side to side as it roamed, shining blinding beams of light down each street. Rouge held her breath and shifted. Even in hiding, pressed up against him in their enforced proximity, Shadow did not relinquish the grip on her arm. A surge of warmth spread through her body and his breath ghosting her tanned skin almost consumed her full attention as they waited. Rouge loathed the waiting as its searchlights gradually faded from view.

Suddenly higher-pitched whirring and warbling came from their left, and Shadow growled in indignation. They both knew what it belonged to. A hovering, rounded droid with a screen covering the entirety of its tiny body and two dangling limbs attached, that looked as though their purpose were for capture. The pair had often spotted these droids before, always trailing behind the bigger machines on an invisible leash, scanning every small crevice. Explicitly, the connecting alleys and various crawl spaces. They were the eyes in the back of their heads. 

“Damn it.” Shadow grumbled and began to pull her along with him as he eased away from the sounds growing louder. “Let’s go.” 

Before it sounded right on top of them, they steered around one of the skyscrapers. Quick steps turned to running as they fled.

Rouge dared to look back and there it was in the distance. That same sneering symbol displayed on the monitor screen of that tiny, sheening robot.

The two whipped through the seemingly boundless streets, avoiding any detection. Their tip-off led them to the tallest building, radiating scarlet and amber lights as digital images of the Doctor were projected on all sides. Concealed within, guarded with developed cyber security systems was the power source they needed. All seven of the chaos emeralds.

It was about time they gained the upper hand, so desperation called for Rouge to carry out what she did best. With great pleasure. _Who knew one day the others - even Knuckles - would actually rely on her thieving ways? ..She would never let that echidna live this down! And she better get to keep one of those emeralds afterwards._ While Shadow, with his history of chaotically brazen methods, was the perfect decoy.

“Well. See you on the other side, handsome. How’s about a kiss for good luck?~ ” Rouge flashed a coquettish smirk and leaned over to feather soft lips against his muzzle, before she took to the velvety skies. “Be careful...”

Shadow blinked, completely mystified as he followed with his gaze, searching for an explanation. The last thing he lingered on were the elegant, moonlight plum of Rouge’s wings. 

Watching intensively, something inside him felt.. lighter. The corners of his lips curled upwards. “Hmph. Understood.”


End file.
